Diarylethene type fluorescent photochromes: synthesis and properties

The results of studies of fluorescent photochromic di(het)arylethenes obtained in the last decade are generalized. Characteristics of these compounds important from the standpoint of their applications for the design of molecular optical memory systems and photocontrolled switches are considered. The main types of diarylethenes and methods for their synthesis are described and correlations between the structure and spectral properties, including fluorescence characteristics, are analyzed. Much attention is paid to methods used to impart fluorescence properties to diarylethenes, which is promising as regards data readout from the molecular data storage media. Bibliography — 203 references.